Mr Wright added: "They were people they had never met who just happened to be on the street at the time.

"Both men were left for dead."

Describing the involvement of the two defendants, Mr Wright said: "Joanna Dennehy may have been the killer but Gary Stretch was able to act as her willing accomplice in disposing of their bodies and was comfortable in her company."

He added that Layton had also been a willing participant who took steps to distance Dennehy from responsibility for the murders.

Mr Lee's body was found by a dog walker in a ditch near Newborough on March 30 and a farmer found the remaining two bodies four days later.

Dennehy, of Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to the murders at the Old Bailey in November and is in custody awaiting sentencing.

She also admitted preventing the lawful and decent burial of all three victims and two charges of attempting to murder.

Stretch, real name Gary Richards, 47, of Riseholme, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, has denied three charges of preventing the lawful burial of all three men and two counts of attempted murder.

Standing at 7ft 3in tall, Stretch sat in the dock wearing a blue t-shirt and a crucifix necklace listened to proceedings through a hearing aid.

Layton, 36, of Bifield, Orton Goldhay, has denied perverting the course of justice and two counts of preventing the lawful burial of the bodies of Mr Chapman and Mr Lee.

A third man, Robert Moore, 55, of Belvoir Way, Peterborough, has admitted assisting an offender and is also awaiting sentence.